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Guide your marketing for 2026 with key APAC marketing benchmarks for email and SMS, plus trends and global comparisons.
With data is drawn from over a billion campaigns worldwide, Dotdigital’s 2026 Global benchmark report shares performance benchmarks for key metrics like open rate, click rate, and unsubscribe rate across email and mobile marketing channels. The data is anonymised and averaged to give marketers a reliable indicator of what success looks like.
In this blog, we’re zooming in on APAC, with a focus on what these results mean for Australian and New Zealand marketers. We’ll compare performance against the global average, highlight where APAC is leading, and unpack the year-on-year shifts that demand your attention in 2026. Use these benchmarks as directional guidance. The most important comparison is always your own performance over time.
In a region where competition for attention is intense, marketers are doubling down on the channel they trust most. Email sends are up significantly year on year, and APAC is leading the charge. Dotdigital customers in APAC saw a 44.1% increase in email sends over the past year.
And that trust is well placed. Email remains a customer favourite, with 60% of consumers citing it as their preferred communication channel.
For Australian and New Zealand brands navigating cost pressures, tightening budgets, and rising acquisition costs, email continues to deliver scalable, owned reach particularly when supported by strong lifecycle automation. Tourism operator RealNZ demonstrates how relevance drives performance at scale. After implementing personalised welcome journeys and automated lifecycle campaigns, the business achieved a 55% open rate and delivered a 614% year-on-year increase in email-driven purchases, resulting in a 13x return on investment. The uplift came from precision and timing rather than simply increasing volume.
But with increased sends, how has engagement held up?
APAC recorded strong YoY growth in opens than the global average, suggesting that marketers are improving subject line strategy, personalisation, and send-time optimisation.
Email open rate benchmarks for APAC:
Australian ecommerce brand Snuggle Hunny achieved 78% open rates on event-triggered campaigns, illustrating how effective automation lifts engagement. As inbox competition increases, brands that understand customer intent and respond accordingly are the ones capturing attention.
As always, benchmarks are context. Compare against your own data first, then optimise for steady improvement.
Unlike open rates, click metrics in APAC declined year on year — and APAC was the only region to experience this. Increased email volume often raises inbox competition, and many brands are prioritising awareness and nurture messaging over hard-sell CTAs.
APAC click metric benchmarks:
Despite softer averages, targeted lifecycle campaigns continue to outperform general sends. At Pedders Suspension & Brakes, refining segmentation and introducing more behaviour-based messaging led to a 25% increase in click-through rates and a 41% increase in email revenue. The results highlight a consistent theme across ANZ: relevance remains the strongest lever for engagement and commercial impact.
For Australian marketers, declining click averages may signal greater inbox competition or a shift toward nurture-focused content. Reviewing content clarity, CTA hierarchy, and personalisation depth remains critical in 2026.
Even the most creative, well-timed campaign won’t perform if it doesn’t land in the inbox. Deliverability refers to whether your emails reach inboxes rather than spam folders.
A strong delivery rate in APAC is generally considered 97% or higher. Dotdigital customers in APAC are seeing over 99% delivery rates, demonstrating strong list hygiene and sending practices across the region.
Brands such as sleepwear retailer ergoPouch, which leverage structured customer data and lifecycle journeys, demonstrate how strong database hygiene is the cornerstone of long-term engagement and revenue stability.
Mobile-first behaviour continues to define customer expectations across Australia and the wider APAC region.
SMS is immediate, personal, and highly visible — making it ideal for:
APAC leads the world in SMS engagement. The region sees the highest SMS click-through rates globally at 32.4%, compared to the global average of 25.7%. That means SMS in APAC generates a click-through rate roughly 18 times higher than email.
Average SMS click rates for APAC:
For Australian marketers, the opportunity lies in integrating SMS into lifecycle automation rather than using it as a standalone broadcast channel. For example, baby brand Snuggle Hunny, automated back-in-stock messaging supported by behavioural targeting across channels delivered a 1100% increase in click engagement compared to standard campaigns. The performance underscores how immediacy and intent-driven communication, whether via email or SMS, can materially outperform broad promotional messaging.
SMS is powerful but more intrusive than email, so responsible usage is critical. This means frequency control, clear value exchange, respecting local time zones, and applying quiet hour rules to automated programs.
When used thoughtfully, SMS drives exceptional engagement without damaging brand trust.
For Australian and New Zealand marketers, the story is clear:
Email volume is rising sharply
Email remains a vital owned channel for sustained engagement and relationship building. SMS excels at driving immediate action.
Together, they form a powerful, complementary strategy.
By Rosalea Catterson|March 4, 2026|
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APAC Marketing Benchmarks 2026: Email and SMS – Power Retail
